On the third day after
the arrival of the Buddha at Kapilavatthu, Prince Nanda, the son of
Queen Mahā Pajāpati Gotami, was celebrating his consecration
ceremony, marriage ceremony, and the house-warming ceremony. It was on the
occasion of these three festivals when congratulations were being offered
to the prince that the Buddha visited the palace. After the meal the
Buddha handed the bowl to the prince, and uttering a Blessing, rose to go
without taking the bowl.

The prince followed Him
thinking that the Buddha would take the bowl from him at any moment. But
the Buddha would not take it, and the prince out of reverence for Him
continued to follow the Teacher.

Janapada Kalyāni,
to whom he was betrothed, hearing that the
prince was following the Buddha with bowl inhand, with tears
streaming down her cheeks and hair half-combed, ran after Prince Nanda
as fast as she could and said to him: "Return quickly, O noble Lord"!
These affectionate words penetrated his heart and he was deeply moved, but
with deference to the Buddha he could not possibly return the bowl to Him.
So he accompanied the Buddha to the park, His temporary residence. On
arrival there the Buddha questioned Nanda whether he would become a
monk. So great was his reverence for Him as the Buddha and as an elder
brother of his that, with reluctance, he agreed to be admitted into the
Order.

But Nanda
Bhikkhu enjoyed no spiritual happiness resulting from renunciation. He was
greatly depressed, and was constantly thinking of his bride. He related
his mental troubles to the Bhikkhus, saying: "Brethren, I am dissatisfied.
I am now living the Religious Life, but I cannot endure to lead the Holy
Life any longer. I intend to abandon the higher precepts and return to the
lower life, the life of a layman".

Hearing this, the
Buddha questioned Venerable Nanda whether such report was true. He
admitted his weakness, and stated that he was worried about his bride.

The Buddha devised a
means to set him on the right path. With the object of showing him
celestial nymphs the Buddha, using His Psychic powers, took him to the
Tavatimsa Heaven. On the way the Venerable Nanda was shown a singed
she-monkey who had lost her ears, nose, and tail in a fire,
clinging to a burnt-up stump in a scorched field. Reaching heaven, the
Buddha pointed to him celestial nymphs and asked him: "Nanda, which
do you regard as being themore beautiful and fair to look upon and
handsome -- your noble wife Janapada Kalyāni or the celestial
nymphs?"

"Venerable Sir,
Janapada Kalyāni is like the singed monkey when compared to those
celestial nymphs, who are infinitely more beautiful and fair."

"Cheer up, Nanda.
Iguarantee that you will possess them if you persevere as I
bid you."

"In that case I shall
take the greatest pleasure in living the Holy Life," said Venerable
Nanda, childishly.

Hearing that Venerable
Nanda was living the Holy Life with the object of winning celestial
nymphs, the Bhikkhus ridiculed him calling him "hireling." Eventually he
became ashamed of his base motive, and striving diligently, attained
Arahantship.

He thereupon,
approached the Buddha and said: "Venerable Sir, I release the Exalted One
from the promise that He made when He guaranteed that I should win
celestial nymphs."

The Buddha replied:
"When, Nanda, you ceased to cling to the things of the world, and
your heart was released from the Corruptions, at that moment I was
released from that promise."

He then uttered the
following paean of joy:

"He that has
crossed over the mud and crushed the thorn of lust;
"He that has destroyed delusion, such a man is unmoved whether in
pleasure or in pain."

When some monks doubted
his attainment of Arahantship the Buddha in explanation uttered the
following stanzas:

"Even as rain
penetrates an ill-thatched house, so does lust penetrate an undeveloped
mind.""Even as
rain does not penetrate a well-thatched house, so does lust not
penetrate a well-developed mind.[1]"

Enjoying the bliss of
Emancipation, he praised the Teacher, saying: "O excellent is the method
of the Master, whereby I was drawn out of the mire of rebirth and set on
Nibbāna's strand!"

Theragāthā attributes
the following verses to him:

"Through not
reflecting rightly I was attached to
outward show. Overcome by passionate love, Iwas restless and
fickle.

Because of the
skilful means devised by theBuddha, the "kinsman of the sun", rightly I actedand drew out my mind from existence.
[2]"

Ānanda,
a cousin of Prince Siddhattha, was the son of Amitodana, a
younger brother of King Suddhodana. As he was born bringing
happiness to all his kinsfolk, be was named Ānanda.

In thesecond
year of the Buddha's ministry Ānanda entered the Order together
with the Sākya Nobles –Anuruddha, Bhaddiya, Bhagu, Kimbila, and
Devadatta. Not long after, hearing a sermon from Venerable Punna
Mantāniputta, he attained the first stage of Sainthood (Sotāpatti).

When the Buddha was
fifty-five years old Venerable Ānanda became His chief attendant.

During the first twenty
years after His Enlightenment the Buddha had no permanent attendant. The
few temporary attendants were not very dutiful and their behaviour was not
highly commendable. One day while residing at Jetavana the Buddha
addressed the bhikkhus and said: "Now I am old, O Bhikkhus. When I say:
Let us go this way some go by another way; some drop my bowl and robe on
the ground. Choose out one disciple to attend always upon me.[3]"

Forthwith all the
Bhikkhus, from Venerable Sāriputta downwards, volunteered their
services. But the Buddha declined their kind offer. As the Venerable
Ānanda was silent, he was advised by the Bhikkhus to offer his
services. He consented on condition the Buddha would grant the following
eight boons:--

(i) The Buddha should not give him robes which He
Himself had received.

(ii) The Buddha should not give him food which He had
received.

(iii) The Buddha should not allow him to dwell in the
same Fragrant Chamber.

(iv) The Buddha should not take him with Him wherever
the Buddha is invited.

(v) The Buddha should kindly go with him wherever He is
invited.

(vi) The Buddha should kindly give him permission to
introduce visitors that come from afar to see the Buddha.

(vii) The Buddha should kindly grant him permission to
approach Him whenever any doubt should arise.

(viii) The Buddha should kindly repeat to him the
discourses that were declared in his absence.

The Buddha granted
these four negative and positive boons. Thenceforth the Venerable
Ānanda acted as His favourite attendant for twenty-five years till the
Buddha's last moment. Like a shadow he followed Him everywhere, attending
to all His needs with great love and care. Both during day and night his
services were always at the disposal of his Master. At night it is stated
that he used to go round the Fragrant Chamber nine times with staff and
torch in hand to keep him awake and to prevent the Buddha's sleep from
being disturbed.

Ānanda Bodhi Tree

It was Venerable
Ānanda who was responsible for the planting of the Ānanda Bodhi Tree.
In the absence of the Buddha, devout followers who used to bring flowers
and garlands, lay them at the entrance to the Fragrant Chamber and depart
with much rejoicing. Anāthapindika came to hear of it and requested
Venerable Ānanda to inquire of the Buddha whether there was a
possibility of finding a place where his devotees might pay obeisance to
the Buddha when He was away on His preaching tours. Venerable Ānanda
approached the Buddha and asked:

"Lord, how many objects
of reverence (Cetiyani) are there, may it please you?"

"There are three,
Ānanda. They are objects of reverence appertaining to the body
(Sāririka),[4]
objects of reverence appertaining to personal use (Pāribhogika) and
objects of reverence reminiscent of the Buddha (Uddesika)."

"Is it proper, Lord, to
construct a Cetiya while you are alive?"

"No, not an object of
reverence appertaining to the body which it is proper to erect after the
passing away of the Buddha. An object of reverence reminiscent of the
Buddha has no physical basis; it is purely mental. But the great Bodhi
tree, used by the Buddha, whether He is alive or dead, is an object of
reverence (Cetiya)."

"Lord when you go on
your preaching tours, the great monastery of Jetavana is without refuge,
and people find no place of reverence. Lord, may I bring a seed from the
great Bodhi tree and plant it at the entrance to Jetavana?"

"Very well, Ānanda,
plant it. It will then be as if I constantly abide in Jetavana."

Venerable Ānanda
mentioned this matter to Buddha's principal lay attendants --
Anāthapindika, Visākhā, and King Kosala -- and requested the
Venerable Moggallāna to secure a fruit from the great Bodhi tree.
Readily he consented and obtained a fruit that was falling from the tree
and delivered it to Venerable Ānanda.

This he presented to
the King who in turn handed it to Anāthapindika. Then he stirred up
the fragrant soil and dropped it in the hole that was dug. The tree that
sprang up in that place was known as the Ānanda-Bodhi.[5]

Ānanda and Women

It was also Venerable
Ānanda who persuaded the Buddha to admit women into the Order. Had
it not been for his intervention Mahā PajāpatiGotami would
not have succeeded in becoming a Bhikkhuni (Nun). Bhikkhunis held him in
high esteem, and his sermons were greatly appreciated by them.

On one occasion he
approached the Buddha and asked Him:

"How are we to conduct
ourselves, Lord, with regard to womankind?"

"As not seeing them,
Ānanda."

"But if we should see
them, Lord, what are we to do?"

"Do not talk to them
Ānanda."

"But if they should
speak to us, Lord, what are we to do?"

"Be watchful,
Ānanda."

This general
exhortation was given to Bhikkhus so that they may constantly be watchful
in their dealings with women.

As he possessed a
powerfully retentive memory, and as he had the rare privilege of listening
to all the discourses of the Buddha owing to his close association with
Him, he was later appointed the Custodian of the Dhamma (Dhamma-bhandā-gārika).

Referring to his own
knowledge of the Dhamma, in reply to a question, put by a brahmin
Venerable Ānanda said:

"Eighty-two
thousand from the Buddha andtwo thousandfrom the Bhikkhus I received.
There exist eighty-four thousand texts in all.
[6]"

Though a distinguished
disciple, well-versed in the Dhamma, he lived as a "learner" (sekha),
till the death of the Buddha. The Buddha's final exhortation to him was --
"You have done merit in the past, Ānanda. Quickly be free from
Corruptions.
[8]"

It was only after the
passing away of the Buddha that he attained Arahantship. As he was
expected to take a leading part in the First Council, which was composed
only of Arahants, he made a strenuous effort and attained Arahantship on
the night preceding the Convocation while he was about to lie down on his
couch. It is stated that he was the only disciple who attained Arahantship
free fromthe postures of sitting, standing, walking or sleeping.
[9]

Venerable Ānanda
passed away at the age of one hundred and twenty. The Dhammapada
commentary states that as people of both the sides of the river Rohini
were equally serviceable to him and as both sides vied with each other to
possess his relics, he sat cross-legged in theair over the middle
of the river, preached the Dhamma to the multitude and wished that his
body would split in two and that one portion would fall on the near side
and the other on the farther side. He then entered into the ecstatic
meditation on the element of fire (Tejokasina samāpatti). Instantly
flames of fire issued from his body, and, as willed, one portion of the
body fell on the near side and the other on the farther side.

The Theragāthā gives
several stanzas uttered by him on various occasions. The following verses
which deal with the frailty of this so-called beautiful body are
particularly interesting:

Mahā Pajāpati
Gotami, was the youngest sister of King
Suppabuddha. Her elder sister was Queen Mahā Maya. Both were
married to King Suddhodana. She had a daughter named Nandā
and a son named Nanda. Later, both of them entered the Order. When
Mahā Maya died she adopted her sister's son, Prince Siddhattha,
entrusting her own son Nanda to the charge of nurses.

Her family name was
Gotami, and she was named Mahā Pajāpati because soothsayers
predicted that she would be the head of a large following.

When the Buddha visited
the palace and preached the Dhammapāla Jātaka to His father she attained
the first stage of Sainthood.

After the death of King
Suddhodana, as both Princes Siddhattha and Nanda had
renounced the world, she also decided to enter the Noble Order and lead
the Holy Life. When the Buddha visited Kapilavatthu to settle a dispute
between the Sākyas and Koliyas with regard to the irrigation of channels
from the river Rohini and was residing at the Nigrodha park, Mahā
Pajāpati Gotami approached the Buddha and begging Him to grant
permission for women to enter the Order, pleaded thus:
[11]

"It would be well,
Lord, if women should be allowed to renounce their homes and enter the
homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the
Tathāgata."

Without stating His
reasons, the Buddha straightway refused, saying:

"Enough, O Gotami,
let it not please you that women should be allowed to do so."

For the second and
third time Mahā PajāpatiGotami repeated her request, and
the Buddha gave the same reply.

Later, the Buddha
having stayed at Kapilavatthu as long as He liked journeyed to Vesali, and
arriving there in due course, resided at the Mahāvana in the Kūtāgāra
Hall.

Resolute Pajāpati
Gotami, without being discouraged by her disappointment, got her hair
cut off, donned yellow garments, and surrounded by a great number of Sākya
ladies, walked from Kapilavatthu to Vesali, a distance of about 150 miles,
experiencing many a hardship. With swollen feet, her body covered with
dust, she arrived at Vesali and stood outside the porch of the Pinnacled
Hall. Venerable Ānanda found her weeping and learning the cause of
her grief, approached the Buddha and said:

"Behold, Lord, Mahā
Pajāpati Gotami is standing outside the porch, with swollen feet, body
covered with dust, and sad. Please permit women to renounce home and enter
the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the
Exalted One. It were well, Lord, if women should be allowed to renounce
their homes and enter the homeless state."

"Enough, Ānanda,
let it not please you that women should be allowed to do so!" was the
Buddha's reply.

For the second and
third time he interceded on their behalf, but the Buddha would not yield.

So Venerable Ānanda
made a different approach and respectfully questioned the Buddha: "Are
women, Lord, capable of realizing the state of a Stream-Winner
(Sotāpanna), Once-Returner (Sakadāgāmi.) Never-Returner
(Anāgāmi) and an Arahant, when they have gone forth from home to the
homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Exalted
one?"

The Buddha replied that
they were capable of realizing Saintship.

Encouraged by this
favourable reply, Venerable Ānanda appealed again, saying: "If then
Lord, they are capable of attaining Saintship, since Mahā
Pajāpati Gotami had been of great service to the Exalted One, when as
aunt and nurse she nourished Him and gave Him milk, and on the death of
His mother suckled the Exalted One at her own breast, it were well, Lord,
that women should be given permission to renounce the world and enter the
homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the
Tathāgata."

"If, Ānanda, Mahā
Pajāpati Gotami accepts the Eight Chief Rules, let that be reckoned to
her as the form of her ordination," said the Buddha, finally yielding to
the entreaties of Venerable Ānanda. The Eight Chief Rules
[12] are as follows:

1- A Bhikkhuni, even of a hundred years'
standing by Upasampadā,
[13] should salute a
Bhikkhu, rise up before him, reverence him, and perform all proper duties
towards him though he had received the Higher Ordination that very day.

2- A Bhikkhuni should not spend a Retreat (Vassa)
in a place where there is no Bhikkhu.

3- Every fortnight a Bhikkhuni should ask
from the Order of Bhikkhus the time of Uposatha
[14] meeting and when a
Bhikkhu would come to admonish them.

4- The Pavārana
[15]ceremony after the Retreat should be held by
a Bhikkhuni in the presence of both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis (to inquire
whether through any of the three ways of seeing, hearing, or suspicion a
wrong has been done.)

5- A Bhikkhuni who has committed a major
offence should undergo Mānatta
[16]discipline in the presence of the Order of
both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis.

6- A female novice (Sikkamānā), who is trained
in the Six Rules for two years, should receive the Higher Ordination from
the Order of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis.

7- A Bhikkhuni should on no account rebuke or abuse a
bhikkhu.

8- Henceforth Bhikkhunis should not give admonition to
Bhikkhus, but Bhikkhus should admonish Bhikkhunis.

These rules are to be
revered, reverenced, honoured and respected as long as life lasts and
should not be transgressed.

When Venerable
Ānanda mentioned them to Mahā Pajāpati Gotami she gladly agreed
to abide by those eight Chief Rules. By their acceptance she automatically
received the Higher Ordination.

In founding this Order
of Bhikkhunis the Buddha, foreseeing the future repercussions, remarked:
"If, Ānanda, women had not received permission to renounce the
world and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline
proclaimed by the Tathāgata, the Holy Life would have lasted long and the
Sublime Dhamma would have survived for thousand years. But since women
have entered this homeless state, the Holy Life would not last long and
the Sublime Dhamrna would now remain only for five hundred years.
[17]"

The Buddha added --
"Just as, Ānanda, houses in which there are man, women and but few
men are easily violated by burglars, even so, under whatsoever doctrine
and discipline women are permitted to renounce the world and enter the
homeless state, that Holy Life will not last long.

"And just as a man
would in anticipation build an embankment to a great reservoir beyond
which the water should not overpass, even so have I in anticipation laid
down these eight Chief Rules for the Bhikkhunis, not to be transgressed
throughout their lives.
[18]"

In making these
comments, which may not generally be very palatable to womankind, the
Buddha was not in any way making a wholesale condemnation of women but was
only reckoning with the weaknesses of their sex.

Although for several
valid reasons the Buddha reluctantly permitted women to enter the Order,
it should be stated that it was the Buddha who, for the first time in the
history of the world, founded an Order for women with rules and
regulations. Just as He appointed two chief disciples, Venerable
Sāriputta and Mogallāna for the Order of monks, two chief
female disciples -- Venerable Khemā and Uppalavannā -- wereappointed for the Order of nuns as well.

One day Bhikkhuni
Mahā Pajāpati Gotami approached the Buddha and invited him to deliver
a discourse so that she may strive alone and achieve her goal.

The Buddha declared --
"Of whatsoever doctrine thou shall be conscious, Gotami, that these
things conduce to passion and not to peace, to pride and not to
veneration, to wishing for much and not to wishing for little, to love of
society and not to seclusion, to sloth and not to the exercise of zeal, to
being hard to satisfy and not to contentment, verily mayest thou then,
Gotami, bear in mind: that is not Dhamma, that is not Vinaya, that is
not the teaching of the Master.

But of whatsoever
doctrine thou shall be conscious, Gotami, that these things conduce
to peace and not to passion, to veneration and not to pride, to wishing
for little and not to wishing for much, to seclusion and not to love of
society, to the exercise of zeal and not to sloth, to contentment and not
to querulousness, verily mayest thou then bear in mind: that is Dhamma,
and that is Vinaya, and that is the teaching of the Master.[19]

Before long she
attained Arahantship, accompanied by intuitive and analytical knowledge
(Patisambhidā).
[20]

The other Sākya ladies,
who received their ordination with her, also attained Arahantship.

Amongst the female
disciples Mahā PajāpatiGotami was assigned the foremost
place in seniority and experience (Rattaññu).

In the Therigāthā
appear several verses uttered by her after attaining Arahantship.